Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral

Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral
Catedrala Mitropolitană din Timișoara
Basic information
Location Timișoara
Affiliation Romanian Orthodox Church
Rite Eastern Orthodox Church
State Romania
Year consecrated 6 October 1946
Ecclesiastical or organizational status Metropolis of Banat
Status Metropolitan cathedral
Heritage designation TM-II-m-A-06138
Architectural description
Architect(s) Ioan D. Traianescu
Architectural type Cathedral
Architectural style Moldavian/Byzantine
Groundbreaking 14 September 1936
Completed 8 September 1941
Specifications
Length 63 metres (207 ft)
Width 32 metres (105 ft)
Height (max) 90.5 metres (297 ft)

The Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral (Romanian: Catedrala Mitropolitană din Timișoara) is a Romanian Orthodox church in Timișoara, in the historical Banat region, in western Romania. The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Timișoara and Metropolis of Banat. It is dedicated to the Three Holy Hierarchs, Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom.

Built on an area of 1,542 m2 (16,600 sq ft), it has 11 towers, of which the central and the highest has a height of 90.5 meters.[1] The Metropolitan Cathedral is listed in the National Register of Historic Monuments.[2]

Architecture

The cathedral was raised between 1936 and 1941. The building's style (architect Ioan Traianescu) is Neo-Moldavian style, based on Romanian Orthodox, late Renaissance, Ottoman, and Byzantine architecture elements, such as niches under the eaves, ribbed star vaulting in the interior, and lacquered discs in a variety of colors.[3]

The church's interior and exterior paintings were created by the painter Anastase Demian.[3] The difficult period that followed the structure's completion, that of Romania during World War II, prevented the paintings from being finished with the building. Demian's work went on for many years after World War II.[4][5]

Art

Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral is home to many historic and artistic religious objects, including many vintage Romanian icon paintings.

There is also a collection of early writings in Romanian. Examples include the 1648 Noul Testament de la Bălgrad ("The New Testament of Bălgrad") and the 1643 Cazania lui Varlaam ("The Homiliary of Metropolitan Varlaam").

See also

References

Coordinates: 45°45′02″N 21°13′27″E / 45.75069°N 21.22412°E / 45.75069; 21.22412


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